


Crown of Queens - (Spot/OC)

by RubberduckyQueen



Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: /OC, F/M, Newsies - Freeform, OC, Strike - Freeform, spot/oc, spotxoc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 06:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30068304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RubberduckyQueen/pseuds/RubberduckyQueen
Summary: Crown is an honorary newsie, she doesn't necessarily hawk the headlines, but she owns the lodging house, and all the boys love her. So it's understandable that after they find her broken and beaten on a night she was out with Spot Conlon, they never want her near him again. Of course, when the strike rolls around and the King of Brooklyn is forced to decide whether to join or not, Crown is put in the same awkward position, and the only person he can think to go to just happens to be the last person that wants to see him.(Yes I know Crown is a super cliche name for the Queen of Queens)
Relationships: Spot Conlon & Original Female Character(s)





	1. Before You Begin

BEFORE YOU START:

This book is a mash-up of the movie and the musical. There are things that I like about both of them, and it would do the story injustice to follow only one of them. In order to make the storyline make the most sense with this mashup, I had to move some scenes out of order. Please just bear with me, I promise it'll make sense.


	2. Chapter 1 - Crown

It was distribution day again, and Crown was up early as always. Once she was up, she let in the cook, Melissa, to start breakfast in the small kitchen added to the lodging house a couple years ago. Melissa thanked her, and passed her several coins before darting into the kitchen. The clock above the door, that they had just barely been able to afford last month told her that as always, her internal clock was spot on. It was 5:30 in the morning. That gave everyone in the lodging house an hour and a half to wake up, dress, eat, and get to work. If their job demanded that they be at work any earlier, Crown negotiated as best she could. If that didn't work, the person in question became a Newsie until Crown had found them another job. Provided, of course, that they wanted to stop being a Newsie.

Crown wandered through the lodging house, ringing the large bell, shoving it in people's faces if they flipped her off. Lissa, as always was up first, dashing into the girl's showers. Checkmate followed fast, into the boy's. The rest of the Newsies followed slowly, much slower than the girls that had to get to the factories.

Crown's lodging house was open to anyone who agreed to follow Crown's rules. Crown only had two rules, listen, and pay. At the end of the day, everyone who belonged to Crown's lodging house owed her forty cents, unless of course, you couldn't pay and made special arrangements with Crown. Most people had made special arrangements, and couldn't afford the forty cents, but most of the Newsies could. The money Crown collected went to providing for Melissa, who cooked all the food and kept the lodging house, doctors for when one of them became injured or ill, and the savings for special circumstances. But once a week, Crown went around to the other lodging houses all over Queens and gave at maximum a dollar to any of them that had been hit with tragedy that week. Crown always found that weeks where she skipped distribution day, something terrible happened within a couple days. She had always made it a priority to help as many people as possible, even on days like today, even though she would give anything to be out with her Newsies today.

Dice watched as Crown wrinkled up a piece of paper that had obviously been abused all night by her anxious fingers. "What's that Crown?"

Crown looked up at her bird, who was too young to be sold newspapers to sell himself. But he was smart, and quick, and easy to miss, making him the perfect little bird. "Nothing, Dice." She pulled out a small bag of change and gave it to him. "Make sure all of the Newsies go out with an extra dime today, alright?"

Dice looked at her oddly, but nodded, and wandered off amongst the tables littered with breakfast. Crown was vaguely aware of Melissa arguing with one of the boys about breaking the glassware. With a jolt, she realized that she hadn't even bothered to check if Dice had eaten before giving him his first task for the day. With a shake of her head, she decided it was better just to start the rounds as early as possible and get them over with. "Lucky, Everton, we'd best got a move on."

While Crown was smart, she was not much more than that. She was severely malnourished as a child – her parents paid for her education but not much else – before they died about six years ago. This made Crown a short, small, weak girl. Her boys teased her endlessly about it, but fists flew when anyone else dared to. Crown stood at about five feet tall, which was rather ridiculous next to those who lived in her lodging house, who were all at least a head taller than she was.

"Yes Crown, wese is ready." Lucky called back across the room.

While the two boys got up and put their dishes in the kitchen, Crown turned to McCoy, her second in command. "Here, read this." She passed him the incredibly wrinkled paper, and he read it over quickly.

"So that's what those dimes is for then."

"Listen, just hold down the fort until I get back. Try and tame the thunder. We'll have a lodge meeting tonight with everyone where we'll talk about it. We have to see what everyone else is gonna be doing first."

McCoy nodded slowly, passing the note back to Crown.

"Miss Crown?"

Crown nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice about a half an inch away from her left ear. "Holy-"

Dice giggled. "Sorry Miss Crown. Ise passed out them dimes like youse asked. Is everythin okay?"

Crown smiled at Dice for a moment. "Yes Dice, we're all good. Here, just . . . read this, pass it back, and head down to Brooklyn for the day. See how they respond."

Dice read the note over quickly and passed it back with a nod of his hat, turning towards the exit.

"Hey Crown! What's with these dimes?"

Crown rolled her eyes, while there was no reason to send them all panicking, she also never resisted the chance to make fun of Spoons. "They're to buy me flowers, spoons. I want lilacs, if you can find them." And with that, she walked right out of the lodging house with Lucky and Everton.


	3. Chapter 2 - Strike

Dice, for one, was never a fan of Brooklyn. And thankfully, Crown wasn't either. Not after Spot threw her in the dust. Dice remembered the day that he found her, beaten and broken in a side alley about a mile from the lodging house. The doctor told them that she had three cracked ribs, a concussion, and broken ankle, probably from when it had been stepped on in an effort to keep her from running. All he knew was that she was out with Spot that night, and McCoy went to have a chat with him the next morning. Since then Crown and Spot never met each other, and birds were only ever sent when there was an actual issue. Crown was always polite to birds, but Spot was unusually cool with Dice. Like when he only nodded when Dice told him he was going to be hanging around the docks all day. There was something on his mind, and it had to be about the note in his pocket. It wasn't often that Crown get messages from her friend Katherine, bit they stayed connected. Crown was Katherine's connection to the streets, and Katherine was Crown's connection to the penthouses. Katherine benefitted by getting stories for her journalist ambition, while Crown was given a nice introduction to the Universities in New York in an effort to get them to lower the price for classes of those who come from her lodging house.

Still, this note was troubling to say the least. If Pulitzer had decided to raise the cost of the paper for the Newsies, and Katherine would know, then it wouldn't be long until every paper in New York followed suit.

Dice watched as the first, second, and then third birds came back to report to Spot. The second bird was the loudest, loud enough that Dice could pick up on the conversation. Or at least, parts of it. Dice stopped after hearing that Manhattan was going on strike.

Sure enough it was barely an hour after the third bird came that Jack Kelly himself came walking down the docks.

"Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." Spot greeted from his perch atop the boxes stacked high on the docks.

"So, you moved up in the world Spot. Got a river view and everything." Jack greeted, coming closer to the throne of sorts. Spot climbed down and spit shook with Jack.

"Hey Boots, how's it rolling?" Spot asked, tucking his cane into his belt. Dice rolled his eyes; Spot was so comfortable with everyone except Queens. So long as they respected him of course.

Boots held out his hand full of marbles. "Here I got a couple of real good shooters here."

Spot took one and knocked it in his slingshot. "So, Jackie boy, I've been hearing things from little birds."

"Yeah?"

Spot aimed at a bottle across the docks, and Davey jumped backward. "Things from Harlem, Queens." He nodded briefly to Dice, before letting the shot fly, smashing the bottle. "All over. They're chirping in my ear. Jackie boy's newsies is playin like theys goin on strike."

Jack threw a look at Dice, who was paying rapt attention to the discussion. "Yeah, well, we are."

"But we're not playing." Davey protested. "We are going on strike."

"Oh yeah? Yeah?" Spot mocked, giving Davey a once over. "What is this, Jackie boy, some kind a walkin mouth?"

Davey looked back to Jack for help. Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah it's a mouth. A mouth with a brain. And if you got half a one, you'll listen to what he's gotta say."

Spot sat down on the boxes and looked up ta Davey, prompting him to go on. Davey only looked around at the small group of Newsies that had gathered to listen.

"Go on, tell him." Jack reassured.

Davey took a breath. "Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So we've been talking to other Newsies all around the city."

"Yeah, so they told me. But what'd they tell you?"

"They're waitin to see what Spot Conlon does. That you're the key." Jack smiled and hid his face, but Dice knew that they had just lost. They just gave him all the marbles, all the power to make a decision without any pressure from the other boroughs. It was easy to say no to one or two, but all of them? Not even Spot Conlon could do that without looking weak. But Davey didn't stop there.

"That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York. And probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they'll join, and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join us because --, well you gotta!"

Spot nodded over to Jack. "Well you're right, Jack. Brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one." Spot stood up and faced Jack directly. "How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at you with a club?" He gestured to Davey with his cane. "How do I know you got what it takes to win?"

"Because I'm tellin you Spot."

Spot looked at the ground, considering for a moment. "That ain't good enough, Jackie boy. You gotta show me."

Jack looked around almost wildly, his eyes landing on Dice. "What do you think Dice, what's Crown gotta say?"

"Did ya send her a bird?"

Jack shrugged. "A couple, Ise think."

"Then she'll get back to ya."

Crown was barely back at the lodging house when McCoy couldn't hold back the other birds any longer. Crown had to fight to get to her big arm chair by the fire, propping up her ankle when she sat down. "Alright, one at a time. What's Manhattan up to?"

It was Bumlets who spoke first. "Wese on strike Crown. Wese need youse help."

Crown's eyes widened. "A strike huh?" At that precise moment Dice walked in, dusk on his heels. "And what did Brooklyn say about the strike?"

Dice shook his head. "Theyse said no, Miss Crown. Spot Conlon is afraid theyse runnin when them goons come."

It was a good point, Crown realized, easily the smartest thing Spot had thought of in ages. Btu Crown's problem was different. She had more than newsies to think about. "Come back in an hour." She told the birds, "We need to discuss something. McCoy, go get all the Newsies to come down here please."

Crown paid Melissa, and she left as the boys came running down the stairs.

"How'd ya know about the jack up, Crown?"

"Oh, come on stupid, Crown knows everything."

"Oh at least you suckers had the extra dime!" Spoons hollered out over the crowd. "I had to get these for Crown!" Spoons held out a small bouquet of lilacs, that surely cost more than the ten cents Crown had given him. Crown took the lilacs and Spoons kissed her on the cheek.

"Give me a dime, Crown, I'll get ya lilies!"

"Naw Crown, I'll get ya tulips!"

"She doesn't want tulips, nitwit, she wants daffodils!"

"Crown, can I kiss ya?"

Spoons turned to the bunch of boys and started yelling back at them. "When you become a man of quality like I am -"

"Man of quality! Ise more quality than youse!"

"Alright, alright, that's enough outta youse." McCoy calmed the group. "Wese got something important here."

"Kissin Crown is pretty important to me."

The chatter and arguing rose several decibels, and Crown rolled her eyes, shaking her head. But before she could quiet them all down, the door to the lodging house flew open again. It was Genevieve, being escorted in by two of her co-workers, holding a bloody hand. Crown practically flew from her chair over to the girl, who's middle and ring fingers on her right hand were missing. "McCoy, get a doctor, fast."

McCoy ran out the door, but the rest of the newsies were shocked beyond movement. Sure, they'd heard the horror stories about working in the factories, several of the girls living in the lodging house had missing fingers, or even entire hands. But they'd never seen the blood and the tears that accompanied the incident.

Crown was already bandaging the injury, humming softly to Genevieve, who was still sobbing. The doctor came in only minutes later, and with her injury properly bandaged and sleeping pills in her hand, Genevieve was escorted upstairs and put to bed. Crown came down with her hands covered in blood, and a smear of it on her forehead. She passed the doctor a couple two-dollar bills and sent him on his way into the night.

"Okay boys, we need to talk." She wiped off her hands slowly, sitting back down in her chair. "The newspaper prices went up to sixty cents per hundred. It sucks, but we have the money that until you all can start selling an extra ten papers each, we will be okay. The other boroughs don't have the same security. Manhattan is going on strike, and they want to know if we'll join them."

The boys started to stand and collect their slingshots, ready to go help Manhattan.

"It's not that simple though." The boys all froze and watched Crown carefully. "I wish I could lead the charge out to the gates, I really do. You all deserve the rights that a successful strike would give you. But I have to think about more than just the Newsies of Queens. We have lots of other girls here, factory girls, who work in dangerous situations. They need a doctor about every other week, and many of them lose their jobs because of their injuries. If we go on strike, there's a strong chance that I won't be able to get the doctors we need for them. If it happens enough, I'd have to throw some of them on the street. The fact is that we need the income from the Newsies, and if you all go on strike, I'm not sure that I'd have the money to take care of you all."

"But wouldn't the strike give us more money?" Spoons asked.

Crown sighed deeply. "There's always a chance. But as far as I know the strike is to bring the price back to what it was, not necessarily to lower it. And that's if it's successful at all."

Dice spoke up from the corner. "Brooklyn was concerned that Manhattan would turn and run the moment someone came at them with a club."

"We aren't that cowardly." Spoons denied.

"Yes but if everyone else is, there's no way we can do this alone." Crown explained.

"Who cares what Spot Conlon thinks anyway!?"

Crown smiled ruefully. "He's got a point though. I can't let you all fight alone."

McCoy took several steps out of the corner. "If you ask me, there's very little evidence that this strike is worth it. There's a chance we might get back to the way it was, but there's a stronger chance that some of the girls get thrown out on the street."

The boys all nodded solemnly, but Everton put it best. "We owe the girls. This used to be their lodging house, and they let us in here when ours burned. It's the least we could to for them. Ten extra papers isn't all that bad, right?"

Crown nodded, and waited to hear any objections. When none came, she turned to Dice. "Let Specs know that we will not be joining the strike."


	4. Chapter 3 - Spot

"The sun is up. The birds are singin." Wiesel mocked the next morning at the World distribution center the next morning. "It's a beautiful day to crack some heads." Dice watched from the rooftops, over the edge and into the distribution center.

"Step right up and get your papes." Oscar mocked.

"Are you workin' or trespassin'?" Morris added, grinding his knuckles into his palm. "What's your pleasure?"

But the Newsies weren't paying attention to them. "Who are they?"

"Scabs!"

"Oh they think they can just waltz right in here and take our jobs?"

"We can handle em!"

"Let's soak em boys!"

"No, no no! We all stand together!" Davey screeched, throwing himself in the way. "Or we don't have a chance. Jack!"

"Yeah, I know. I hear ya." Jack answered, walking up to the scabs. "Fellas. . . I know someone put youse up to this. Oh, yeah, they probably paid you some extra money too, huh? Yeah, well, it ain't right. Pulitzer thinks we are gutter rats. With no, no respect for nothin including ourselves. Is that who we are, huh? Well, we stab each other in the back, and yeah, that's who we are. But if we stand together, we can change the whole game."

But the newsies weren't convinced. Dice watched as some of them held their heads higher, and Jack paced around in frustration.

"and it ain't just about us! Yeah, all across the city there are boys and girls who ought to be out playin' or going to school! Instead they are slaving to support themselves and . . . and their folks! Ain't no crime to bein' poor. No, not a one of us complains that the work we do is hard, all we ask is a square deal. Fro the sake of all the kids in every sweatshop, factory, and slaughterhouse in this city, I beg you, throw down your papers. And join the strike."

Dice looked down at his feet and clenched his jaw. That was precisely why Crown couldn't get involved, for the others that she looked after. But if the strike was for more than the Newsies. . . Still their demands only benefited the Newsies, and no one else. If their demands changed . . .

Les, Davey's brother, walked over next to Jack to add an extremely innocent "please?" to the scabs.

One of them tugged on his cap and made toward the newsies.

"Hey!"

"What are you doing?"

"Come on!"

The newsie in question walked right up to Jack, staring him in the eye, only a breath or two apart. He inhaled sharply and exclaimed, "I'm with ya!" and threw his papers on the ground. One by one, the others tried to make off with their papers, but were stopped by other newsies with similar words to Jack's, and eventually they all threw down their papers.

"Hey you're kidding me, right?" One of them asked his friend.

"Hey at the end of the day, who are you gonna trust. Them, or them?" He asked throwing his newsie bag over to Wiesel.

"Oh, what the hell!" the last one exclaimed. "My father's gonna kill me anyway!" And with that the last newsie slammed down his papers.

At his cue, every single newsie screamed and made for the wagons, tipping them over, and throwing papers everywhere. The bundles were unbound, and every paper was ripped to shreds. The Delancey Brothers attempted to fight back, but the sheer number of newsies set them back. It was a whirl of papers, almost as if snow was falling from the sky. It was marvelous to watch, until the police whistles began to blow. As soon as Dice heard them, he bolted away from the scene, but not quite fast enough to hear Crutchie's screams, or Jack's desperate attempts to call for him.

Crown was sewing the holes up in her boy's shirt long into the night, with the fire blazing next to her as the only source of light. She had meant to buy material to just make new ones to replace the rags the boys were wearing now, but after needing the doctor . . . new shirts would have to wait at least another week. Probably more if the boys couldn't sell as many papes as they used to. Crown leaned back in her chair, away from the fire, setting the sewing in her lap and closing her eyes. She wished she could strike with her boys, she really did. They deserved the fair wages and the respect the strike would bring them. But as much as she loved her boys, she couldn't just leave her girls in the dust either. Crown was older than the lot of them, not by much, but enough that she really could just leave them all behind and get a real job herself. Although it was unlikely that her physical state could get her a decent job. And she didn't have the heart to leave her kids.

They'd had another meeting tonight, and most of them had given up on the strike. Without reinforcements, Manhattan wouldn't last too long. And until Brooklyn said the word, no one was going to show up to help.

"Crown, doll, can I talk to youse?"

Crown shot straight up in her chair and opened her eyes wide, staring around the room to see who was there. Her first guess would've been McCoy, but the accent was slightly off, and the figure in front of her was much too short.

For a while, Crown and Spot just stared at each other. Crown, for one, was too terrified to move, and Spot didn't want to do anything that made her uncomfortable.

Crown swallowed once. "Why are you here?"

Spot took a single step closer, gripping his hat in his hands, nervously. His dark hair shone in the firelight, his red shirt and matching suspenders were still as dirty as always. But Crown didn't notice any of that. She was still too stunned that he was even here in the first place.

"I thought Lucky was outside. How did you . . .?" Crown broke off slowly, staring Spot in the eyes.

"Lucky's chasing Coin, I think. He got caught trying to slip me in." Spot admitted. "but that's not why I'm here. Doll, we need to talk about the strike."

Crown didn't move, she barely opened her mouth a couple centimeters. "What about it?"

"Why are youse not in the thick of it? Wese could really use someone like you taking on the big shots."

Crown sighed deeply. "I wish I was, but I've got more than just my boys to think about. If we lose the boy's income, we can't afford the doctors for the worse injuries, new clothing, or even the cheap schooling on weekend nights. We just can't risk it."

Spot nodded slowly, but Crown's head shot up. "Wait, we?"

"Yeah, wese. Brooklyn's joining the strike."

"Well, if you're joining, then the rest of New York will follow. You'll definitely have the numbers."

"But youse still won't join us?"

Crown shook her head. "We'd have to have a lodge house meeting to do something that drastic, and until then, our last decision stands."

"How long until you can get a meeting together?"

Crown rubbed her forehead. "I could probably get one together tomorrow night, if nothing crazy happens between now and then."

But Spot was barely listening. "What is those?" he asked thickly, gesturing to the lilacs in a cup of water on the small table before the fireplace.

"Oh, Spoons got them for me."

"Spoons, huh?"

Crown caught on immediately. "It was a gag this morning, I gave him an extra dime for the price increase, he asked me what it was for, and I told him it was to buy me flowers. I never expected him to actually do so."

Spot nodded, his jaw slowly unclenching.

Crown's head was finally getting over the shock of seeing Spot again and she squinted at him accusingly. "If you wanted to send me a message, you could've sent a bird. Why come out here yourself?"

Spot sighed, and ran his fingers through his unusually short hair. "Well I did need to know if youse would join us. But I really came here to see youse."

Crown took a breath. "Why though? We haven't seen each other in ages."

"And it's been tearing me apart, Doll." Spot took another step forward. "I wanted to make sure this wasn't gettin to youse head. Makin anythin hurt worse."

"Oh," Crown furrowed her brow. "No, I-I'm alright. Thank you."

Spot shuffled for a moment. "Listen, about that night . . ."

"I have no desire to talk about that night, thank you."

But before Spot could say another word, Pep came out of the girls' sleeping rooms and began speaking before she really looked around. "Hey Crown, whose you talkin to?" But her eyes landed on Spot, and she covered her mouth with her hands. Then, without another word, she ran into the boy's room, screaming for McCoy. "It's Crown, it's Spot!"

Spot's hesitant smile dropped, and he looked sadly at Crown. "Ise suppose that's my cue doll."

The next several seconds Crown saw inheartbeats. Spot was stepping toward her. He was leaning over her, his strongarms braced against the back of the chair, and she was reminded strongly of thesensation of being wrapped in those arms. He was leaning down far enough thatshe could smell musk and ink. Then his lips pressed to her forehead, as soft asshe remembered. And then he was gone into the night


	5. Chapter 4 - Rally

"You should've seen them, Crown!" Katherine gushed to the small girl on the roof of the lodging house the next afternoon. "I thought we were in trouble, but then suddenly there were and he said, 'Never fear, Brooklyn's here!' and he rode down on this giant chain and kicked them all down. He opened the gates, and there were so many newsies!"

Crown laughed to herself and rolled her eyes. No matter what, Spot certainly was dramatic.

"I can see why you like him Crown. He's perfect for you."

Crown choked on thin air and stared at her friend. Katherine laughed behind her hand.

"You alright Crown?"

"Shove off Katherine."

"Miss Crown, there's a visitor for you."

Crown wheeled around to face Dice, who was respectfully standing with his hat off, by the staircase to the roof. "Oh, do we need to come down then?"

"Oh, I could never think to inconvenience the Queen." Jack Kelly announced himself followed by McCoy and Spoons.

"Kelly." Crown greeted warmly. Then she turned to McCoy. "What's all this?"

"Security ma'am."

Crown rolled her eyes, "It's just Jack, there's no reason for – oh."

Spot came up the stairs next, holding his hat. Out of the corner of her eye, Crown noticed Dice wringing his hat.

"McCoy, this is still overkill."

McCoy gave Spoons a look, but Spoons cursed at him. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Well neither am I."

Katherine spoke up from the corner. "Crown, would it really hurt?"

Crown took a deep breath, shaking her head. "Well I guess we're just having a party then!" she sat herself down with a huff on a small stack of boxes. Dice was remarkably reminded of Spot from the couple of days prior.

"Well, your Highness, we've come to ask if you'd join the strike." Jack explained with a little bow that made Crown laugh.

"I always liked you Kelly. But I do believe we've had this discussion before." Crown cast a look at Spot and McCoy scowled.

"We need youse Crown. We need someone who knows how the hoity-toity higher ups work. Someone who knows how to beat them." Jack admitted.

"Jack, I've never beaten the higher ups. I've only ever found loopholes."

"Youse the closest we have to someone Pulitzer will respect, or someone who will force him to."

Crown looked at Spot. "And you don't have that kind of power?"

"Youse educated, doll." Spot whispered. McCoy glared at him for the nickname. "Youse the only one that has the background that demands respect."

"So, I took some weekend classes, so do all of my kids."

"You have an army Crown." Katherine interjected. "We could really use you."

"My kids are not an army."

But no one was paying attention. "What're you doin here?" Jack asked Katherine.

"She happens to be my friend." Crown defended. "And for another thing, you don't need me for a connection to the higher ups when you've got Miss Pulitzer herself here."

Katherine shook her head quickly, but it was too late. The attention was all turned onto her.

"Wait youse a Pulitzer?" Jack asked, shocked.

Spot took McCoy and Spoon's shock as an opportunity to come closer to Crown. "But she doesn't have the prowess that you do, doll."

"I told you that my byline was Katherine Plumber, and it is." Katherine defended.

"Okay, if you are going to have your own conversation, go over there, so I can think please."

Katherine threw Crown a dirty look, and Jack dragged her away, leaving Spot alone to plead the case to Crown. But it wasn't Spot who argued next.

"You know Crown," Dice interjected. "Jack said something the other day Ise been meaning to tell youse."

"What is it Dice?" Crown asked, kindly.

"He said that they were fighting for all the working kids of New York. Not just the Newsies."

"It's true!" Katherine came running back over, away from Jack, who looked severely put out. "He said that they were fighting for 'every working kid in New York'."

"Is this true, Jack?"

Jack walked back over slowly with his hands in his pockets. "I – yeah, it's true."

"Well, in that case, we need a lodge meeting. Tonight."

"Another one?"

"What's this about, Crown?"

"Why are the girls here?"

"I thought lodge meetings were private."

"Yeah, why is Jack Kelly here?"

"Or Spot for that matter?"

"Wait that's Spot. He's shorter than I thought he'd be."

"But just as dangerous, do you see his arms?"

"Okay, okay, that's enough." Crown interjected. And Spot tapped his cane on the ground for good measure. That only sparked more noise, and angry jeers.

"That is enough." Crown huffed over the crowd. "What has gotten into all of you?"

"Crown, it's Spot!"

"Yes, I know it's Spot, he's got a message or us. Along with Jack Kelly."

"The strike again!"

"I thought we already said no!"

"That reminds me, Crown," Spoons leaned against the arm of the big chair Crown was sitting in. "Ise a little low after those flowers yesterday so-"

Crown rolled her eyes and dug her hand in her pocket for a dime. But Spot found one faster and flicked it over to him without another thought. Crown stared at him in shock, although she probably should have expected such an act from him.

"Doll, youse okay?"

Crown broke out of her daze with a shake of her head. Everyone was staring at her, except for McCoy who was staring at Spot with fire in his eyes.

"Sorry. Go ahead Jack." Crown dismissed, and Jack started his speech with Davey who had shown up sometime in the last several minutes. Everyone was paying rapt attention to Jack and Davey, but Spot continued to watch Crown carefully. If he wasn't mistaken, she was on the end of her tether, and very tired.

"Why should we listen to you when you're working with him?" Spoons asked once Jack had finished.

The small crowd of boys and girls all began arguing with each other.

"Why not?"

"It has to be some sort of trap Spot put together to hurt Crown again."

"But we don't actually know if he was the one who hurt her."

"Well we know he didn't stick around to help her out."

Crown cleared her throat and the room fell silent. "How about this. Any newsie who decides to join the strike, after seriously considering what was discussed in the last meeting may. Anyone who desires not to can continue on like nothing ever happened."

"This might be a good time to announce that there's a Newsie rally at Medda's theatre in Manhattan tomorrow. Anyone who wants to come, or is still on the fence is invited." Davey said out to the crowd.

Everyone up front by Crown's chair, nodded to each other and left the lodging house.

"Welcome Newsies of New York! Welcome to my theatre, and your revolution!" Medda announced from the stage where Spot, Davey, and Jack were all standing.

Spot didn't miss the fact that Crown was in the audience, how could he, she was in the front row with the incredibly tall McCoy, Spoons, and Lucky. Although what she was doing there, he wasn't quite sure.

Crown wasn't exactly sure why she was at the rally either, maybe because she wanted to make sure she had allowed her newsies to join something legitimate. As much as she didn't want to, she had to admit that the thousands of newsies sitting in the theatre were more than enough man-power to do whatever they wanted. She only hoped that the people leading the man-power were smart enough to do it right.

"And let's hear it for Spot Conlon and Brooklyn!" Davey introduced, leaving Spot in the center of the stage.

"Newsies United!" Spot shouted over the din of noise; arms outstretched. Until of course, he closed his fists and everyone fell silent. "Let's see what Pulitzer's gotta say to you now." Spot smiled and threw a wink at Crown, who had an amused smile in her face.

"Hey Jack!" One of the Newsies asked from the crowd. "Where's Crown and Queens? I thought youse said that they joined us today."

Jack shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, Race, Queens joined us, or most of 'em did. We don't know about Crown yet."

"What do you mean you don't know yet?"

"He means that I still haven't seen any proof that this is a good or sustainable idea." Crown explained standing from her position in the front row. Spot walked over to the edge of the stage and helped her up.

"What do you mean, we haven't proved ourselves to you?"

"Have you thought about what a strike means? Do you have the means to stay on strike? And do so every time Pulitzer does something you don't like? Cause don't think he won't. If you don't work, you don't get paid. I'm not saying this strike is not a good thing. It's an excellent thing. I'm just concerned that you all don't know what you're getting into."

The theatre erupted into jeers and shouts. Some people, Crown realized, were just now thinking this through for the first time. Spot whistled and the theatre fell silent. "She's got a good point fellas. Now I warned Jackie Boy about this earlier. That youse might just turn tail and run. That youse don't understand what this really means. But after yesterday . . . youse all showed me that this strike is possible. If we stick together."

"And that includes all of us." Davey said, motioning to the whole room. "All of us, scabs or not, we have to unite in order to do this."

"So here's how it is!" Jack continued. "If we don't act together, we're nothing. If we don't stick together, we're nothing."

"Crown, do you think this is possible?!" Spoons asked out over the din.

"Of course, it's possible." Everyone fell silent. "But you all have to stick together. There's no way you can do this without each other. You all have done some pretty amazing things already. Believe it or not, you've got Pulitzer in the corner, down on his knees. The next thing you have to do is help him up, and strike a deal."

The theatre erupted once again, but Spot shouted over them all. "She's right! We can't make ourselves look like the bad guys here. As much as we hate Pulitzer, we're fighting for him to give us a fair share."

"And with any luck, tonight will give us that opportunity. Look around, we've got newsies from every borough and every pape." Davey pointed out. "Tonight, you're makin' history. Tonight, we declare that we are just as much a part of the newspaper as any reporter or editor."

"And you still won't join us, Crown?" Race asked from the Manhattan newsies side of the theatre.

"Well," Crown paused in her deliberating, and the theatre started chanting, "Crown, Crown, Crown, Crown . . ."

"What'cha thinkin' sweetheart?" Spot asked quietly, through the corner of his mouth.

"I can't put all my eggs in one basket. If all my kids end up fired, or worse . . ."

Spot reached over and took Crown's hand, "Do youse trust me?"

"No. Not even close."

Spot stared her in the eye. "Youse know the only reason I left was to get help, right?"

"But you were too late."

Before another word could be mentioned, police whistles began to sound off. Spot grabbed Crown's hand and pulled her to the edge of the stage, ignoring her indignant look. McCoy and Spoons helped her offstage and safely to the ground.

"We have to get everyone out." Crown gasped, but McCoy had other plans. He took her hand and dashed through the crowd, bobbing and weaving. Spoons followed close behind, and Spot after him.

"McCoy, stop! We have to help them!"

But McCoy ignored her, and continued running. About halfway up through the seats of the theatre, Crown managed to slip her wrist out of McCoy's grasp.

"I'm not going anywhere until all my kids are out safe. Your priority is them, not me."

Spoons and Spot caught up in that moment, and Spoons grabbed Crown by the waist, ready to carry her out, if necessary. But Spot stopped him with a touch of his shoulder. "I'll get her, you get them."

McCoy immediately didn't like the idea. "Him? Crown, you can't be-"

"Go!" Crown shouted. "Make sure everyone gets out. Go McCoy!"

McCoy clenched his jaw and nodded once, disappearing into the crowd. Spoons was harder to convince. "Conlon if you don't-"

Crown gave him a shove. "Go, Spoons!"

Spoons ran in the opposite direction of McCoy, leaving Spot to grab Crown's hand again and darted towards the exit, through the lobby, and straight into the swarm of newsies being chased back in by police on horseback. Spot whipped around, nailing a bull making a dart for him in the face. From there he dragged Crown away from the swarm going upstairs and back into the theatre.

"Spot, where are we-"

"Shh Crown, just follow me and try not to make noise."

Spot led her up onto the stage, and they both ducked behind the curtain and into the dressing rooms. A whistle pierced the air, and Crown froze. Spot hid her behind the door into one of the dressing rooms and held her tight. But the whistle tore through the air again, much closer this time, and Spot wasn't going to take any chances.

"Listen to me, in the next room over, there's a back exit. You wait here until they're gone and then make a run for it."

"What about you?"

Spot didn't answer. He just gently pressed his lips to her cheek.

"Spot, what are you doing?"

"Stay safe, Crown."

And he ran out of the room. Crown listened intently for any noise. She heard the whistle a couple more times before the punching and grunting started. And then a sound that sounded like someone was being dragged back away from the dressing rooms. Dread settled in the pit of Crown's stomach as she realized exactly what Spot had done. Quietly, without a word, Crown snuck into the next dressing room over and out into the night.


	6. Chapter 5 - Trial

Dice took Crown up to bed, still sniffing away. But not before she could announce to the lodging house that she was going to save them. Every single boy that was taken, she would save them all, but most importantly, she was going to return the favor to Spot.

Crown didn't sleep well that night, nor she was sure, did the boys in the jailhouse, awaiting their trial. She was not aware of the sun coming up and streaming into the window above her bed in the tiny private room she occupied. She was more numb than anything else, pushing the fire in her stomach until it was time for it to rage free. Somewhere inside herself she was told it was time to wake up, but when she went downstairs to wake everyone up, she found McCoy in the same numb position on the sofa.

"You love him, don't you?" McCoy didn't bother greeting Crown, so she didn't bother to do so either.

"I think I owe him a debt."

McCoy looked up at her with resigned eyes. "I thought youses said that youse didn't want anything to do with him anymore."

"McCoy, if this strike has show you anything it's that I'm careful. Especially with other people."

"With other people shuah, but what about youse, Crown?" McCoy stood slowly, and reached out a hand to place loosely on her shoulder. "What about you?"

Crown looked at the ground and said nothing so McCoy kept going, "Shuah, youse keeping everyone else out of the strike as much as you can, but suddenly Spot goes missing and youse ready to release hellfire to get him back?"

McCoy sighed loudly, but continued after another pause. "Crown, youse smart. Smart enough to know that risking your neck for him in court the way youse undoubtedly planning to is a really stupid idea. The only reason I can think of that would make youse put your neck out for him after what he did to youse, is that you still love him."

"I can't lie to you, McCoy." Crown confessed. "He told me on the stage last night that he only left to get help. That if he tried to fight them all off on his own, we both would've been beaten half to death."

"So that makes it okay that he left youse and ran? I don't see him with a bum ankle." McCoy spat angrily.

"No, it means that he had his head on straight. That he did what would've given me my best chance." Crown explained calmly.

"Youse telling me that being beaten close to death, with a broken ankle, concussion, and cracked ribs was your best chance? And that was only what we had to call the doctor for! Crown, youse couldn't stand for weeks after what happened, and I doubt youse will ever be the same again."

"McCoy, you can't blame everything on him. You offered to teach me to fight that very week. If I had listened to you, if we had started and I knew how to take a hit better then somehow I could've-"

"No, Crown. Don't you dare blame this on youseself. Youse was defenseless, and he took youse through a bad part a town. Crown, I still remember the blood coating everything in the lodge house when youse came back. Ise carried youse half a mile to the nearest doctor, and had to carry youse back, days later! Youse can't tell me that's okay, that it's something to be forgiven!"

Crown shook her head slowly. "No, you're right, it's not okay, but it's not something to be forgiven either. McCoy, you couldn't have done better yourself."

"Yes, Crown, Ise would have. Ise would have because youse needed me to. Because Ise love youse, Crown, and if nothing else, Ise would've been beaten beside youse!" McCoy declared, nearly bellowing out to the empty room, hands now both on Crown's shoulders.

There was silence for longer than was necessary for Crown to process the information spat at her, but she didn't quite know what to do with it. In the end, she wrapped her arms around McCoy and kissed him on the cheek.

"McCoy, you are the best friend anyone could ask for, but I can't love you. I'm so sorry."

McCoy cleared his lungs and wiped at his eyes. "Ise know Crown. Ise can't ask that from youse. But Ise can ask that youse aren't stupid with what part of youse heart you has left."

"McCoy, do you trust me?"

"With my life, Crown."

"Then trust me. I'm not doing anything stupid with something so precious."

Dice took the opportunity to clear his throat. Apparently, he hadn't slept well either, and had run to the courthouse as soon as the sun was up. "Miss Crown, the Newsies trial is up next."

Crown nodded to McCoy, giving him one last smile and kiss on the cheek, before leaving instructions with Dice and heading to the courthouse.

"All rise, all rise, the court is now in session. Judge E A Monahan presiding." The Bailiff announced, and the Judge got right to work.

"Are any of you represented by counsel?"

The newsboys looked around at each other and murmured amongst themselves, mostly trying to figure out what counsel was.

"No? Good, good. This will move things along considerably."

Spot looked around and spoke out with the only court term he knew. "Hey your Honor, I object!"

The Judge folded his hands carefully and considered Spot for a moment. "On what grounds?"

"On the grounds of Brooklyn, your Honor." Spot replied, and the rest of the boys guffawed behind him. Spot smiled, pleased with himself. If nothing less, he'd made the boys laugh.

The Judge banged his gavel and rolled his eyes. "I fine each of you five dollars or two weeks' confinement in the House of Refuge."

This time it was Race that beat Spot to the punch. "Woah, woah. Hey. Hey, we ain't got five bucks. We don't even got five cents. Hey, Your Honor, how about I roll you for it? Double or nothing."

The boys started laughing again, and Spot instinctively looked around to see if Crown was there. She would know what to do, he was sure, but there was still a part of him that wanted her nowhere near this place.

"Alright, move along, move along." The Judge banged his gavel again.

In the next moment, Crown finally pushed herself through the crowd and convinced the police to let her through. "Your Honor, I will pay the fines, all of them." She announced, throwing a bag of cash up onto the Judge's stand. Katherine followed her boldly, but with about half as much confidence. Davey somehow made it in with the group, when he had arrived, Crown had no idea, but he was more concerned with making sure everyone was okay. "Where's Jack?" He asked over and over again.

The Judge banged his gavel and looked down at Crown's money. "Pay the clerk. Move it along."

Crown gestured to Dice who retrieved the bag and set out counting coins on the Clerk's desk.

At the Judge's words, Jack Kelly strode into the room, followed by a bull. "Hey fellas." He greeted.

"Hey Cowboy, nice shiner!" Race exclaimed laughing.

"Pay the clerk. Move it along." The Judge repeated, banging his gavel like a child set loose in a candy store.

"Hey Katherine, I guess we made all the papes this time. So, how'd my picture look?" Jack asked Katherine, who rung her hands nervously.

"Jack, Pulitzer ordered a black out on all strike news, nobody printed anything." Katherine admitted warily.

"Case of Jack Kelly. Inciting to riot, assault, resisting arrest."

"Judge Monahan, I will speak for this young man." Snyder came up to the stand, with his hat off, and Crown just about lost it.

"You two know each other. Ain't that nice." Jack confirmed looking between the two.

"I believe they know me as well." Crown interjected. Snyder gave her a withering look, but Crown stood tall. It was all she could do not to give one back.

"Just move it along, Warden Snyder." The Judge nodded to Snyder.

"This boy's name is Jack Kelly. His mother's deceased, his father's a convict in the state penitentiary. He's an escape from the House of Refuge where his original sentence for three months was extended to six months for disruptive behavior."

"Like demanding we eat the food you steal from us." Jack countered, but Snyder plowed on.

"Followed by an additional six months for an attempted escape."

"Attempted?" this time, Snyder listened to Jack. "Last time wasn't an attempted escape. Remember, Snyder? Remember me and Teddy Roosevelt and the carriage? Remember Roosevelt and the carriage?"

Snyder continued on. "Therefore, I ask that he be returned to the House of Refuge."

"Away for my own good, right, move along?" Jack mocked. "For my own good and what he kicks back to you."

Snyder ignored him. "And that the court order his incarceration until the age of 21, in the hope that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life."

Crown nearly giggled. "Yes, as you're so excellent at doing just that, Snyder. We all know the House of Refuge does not 'guide' anyone to any sort of positive future. The boys grow out of the Refuge and into the State Penitentiary. If the court really wants Mr. Kelly to change his ways, the Refuge is the last place he should be sent."

Snyder turned to Crown slowly with eyes of careful glass. "I was not aware there was another place to send him."

"Then you are woefully misinformed." Crown faced the Judge again. "Your Honor, in light of the Refuge's past failures with the boy-" Snyder scoffed, but Crown only spoke up, "-and the knowledge that Warden Snyder cannot and will not have any future success doing as he claims, I will do so instead."

Snyder actually broke his careful façade to throw Crown a look that made Spot bunch his hand into a fist. "How on earth would you do something like that?!"

"Your Honor, I know you are familiar with my lodge house and the several dozen boys and girls that all live there. The vast majority of them I found on the streets, scared, alone, and in legal trouble more often than not. I decided to take them in, clear their name legally and help them towards a better future. Everyone in my lodge house has a job working to take care of themselves and each other. On weekends teachers will volunteer to teach them how to be more productive citizens and get even better jobs ensuring that they will never find themselves in a desperate situation on the street again."

Snyder interrupted with a sneer. "Do the courts have records of this? How do we know that you aren't making all this up? You were at the event last night; you must be conspiring with them!"

Crown spoke directly to Snyder this time. "I was there to show concern for the newsboys, many of which are in the same circumstances of those I take in. You were running around with a police whistle throwing people in cells and counting a profit you hadn't even made yet. As for the records, I'm sure you'll find they're all in order along with the accounts of your abundant failures."

The Judge banged his gavel, "order!" he screeched. "There will be order in my court."

Crown cleared her throat and faced the Judge again. "Your Honor, I don't think there's much more I can say. For the sake of Mr. Kelly, I have to ask that you not send him to the Refuge but allow me to take him to my Lodge House instead."

Snyder tried his own form of plea. "Your Honor, there is no better place for the boy than in a State Institution."

Judge Monahan considered for only a second. "Warden Snyder, your suggestions are so ordered." He banged his gavel and the bailiff began escorting everyone out of the court.

Snyder gave Crown a very egotistical nod, glass expression back in place. But Crown wasn't paying any attention. She turned around and took four steps over to the clerk, sending Katherine and the rest backing out of her way in a rush. "I need this overruled."

The clerk nodded and led her out of the court room, to a desk where he retrieved several forms. "It might take a while, but it is possible."

Crown sat down at the desk and began filling the forms out while Katherine and Davey led the rest of the newsies outside the building. Crown caught Dice before he followed the stragglers out.

"Tell them all to go to lunch. They all like that place in Manhattan, Jacobi's, right? Tell them I'll meet them there."

Dice nodded and hurried off through the doors to send the message.

A half-hour later Crown stood up and gave the forms back to the clerk, who checked everything over. He found Crown's signature and his eyes widened.

"Thank you very much Miss, I'll get this matter settled as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Mr..."

"Coulter." The clerk introduced himself. "Ernest Coulter. And for what it's worth, I think you're right. What a lot of these boys need is a friend. Or an older brother."

"I couldn't agree more." Crown smiled.

Crown arrived at Jacobi's a little while later, with Spoons at her heels. Something about not wanting her to walk alone. Crown thanked him, but her mind was preoccupied. Jack Kelly would be out of the refuge by morning. Now she just had to make sure that no one went back in.

"Hey Miss Crown."

"Crown."

"Shh!"

Crown smiled at them all, and shook the hand of one newsie that was brave enough to do so. "Thanks for bailing us out."

His smile was so sincere that Crown's heart melted ever so slightly. "My pleasure."

Crown approached Katherine who was being bullied ever-so-slightly by a trio of boys.

"Come on, Katherine, why didn't youse write anything?"

"I already told you. Pulitzer ordered a black out on all strike news long before the rally happened. I wrote a story but nothing was printed." She dug in her skirt pocket and pulled out a rumple of paper. "Here! Read it, do whatever with it, it doesn't matter." She threw it at the nearest boy who caught it and tried to stumble over the letters enough to read it.

"She's lucky she got to keep her job at all. Katherine did everything she could for you all, don't ask for any more."

The diner went silent for a moment, before Race spoke up. "Well, what about youse Crown, don't youse got more to give?"

Spot smacked him over the head.

"Trust me boys. They don't care. As much as they should, they don't. It's all I could do to keep you out of the Refuge. I probably shouldn't have even done that. When someone does something that makes you angry you go to their boss. Or their boss' boss. Until you find someone who will help you. This is the end of the road. Pulitzer's one of the biggest titans on the streets. It's not like there are an abundance of guys bigger than him to make him eat pavement. And you don't have the resources or impact to outlast him. For now, at the very least, you need to go back to work.

"Listen to me very carefully. Do not do anything stupid. I'll have Jack out of the refuge by the morning. If you want to do something, figure out who could help us. We can restart, but we have to be smart about it this time. Trust me. And keep each other from messing it all up."

"Wese gots some thinkin to do." Spot affirmed. "Make some money in the meantime, youse will need it."

The boys all fell into babble, but Crown distinctly heard someone say, "Wese gonna be okay."

Good. They were willing to listen at least. That was enough to make her sit down at a booth, followed by Katherine, Spot, Les, and Davey.

Davey, at least, looked like he could run a marathon. "What's the plan, Crown?"

Crown stared at him incredulously. Was he not just listening? "Retreat, regroup, and make some money."

Davey stared at the table cloth; hands clasped on the table. "There's nothing we can do?"

Crown closed her eyes for a moment, leaning across the table and putting a hand on Davey's. "I didn't say that."

"Then what are you saying?"

Crown couldn't meet his eyes. "I don't know. Pulitzer has all the cards, including Snyder and Judge Monahan. We don't have that kind of power."

Davey looked almost desperate. "But you . . . you and Spot, you're the most respected Newsies ever!"

"Maybe on the street. No one else would give us the time of day, Davey. We need authority. And we kids don't have any."

The table fell silent. Katherine looked around at Davey's crestfallen face. Then Crown's exhausted one, had she slept the night before? And finally, Katherine's gaze landed on Spot, who was studying Crown like he saw every line in her face in sharp detail.

"Davey, have you seen the article I wrote about the rally? I think Boots has it. There might be something in there we could look at."

Davey's eyes snapped up to Katherine's and the two left the table to find Boots.

Spot studied Crown with an etch in his forehead. She was exhausted. The fire from the courthouse had finally simmered down and her energy stores realized just how empty they were. Her eyes were blank, and he wondered if she had even noticed Katherine and Davey leave, or that he was even sitting across from her.

Crown did this more often than he liked, her physical capabilities were not as strong as she let others believe. She got very tired very quickly, sending her into this frozen state of being. She was almost always cold, and whenever she did get injured, it took her days longer to heal than any doctor's estimate.

Spot wasn't necessarily surprised; he knew this would happen from day one. That's why he went to see her as soon as he could. They'd never admit it, but even his boys loved Crown. They got along almost too well with Queens, and the night everything fell apart put an undeniable rift in New York. Queens suddenly wanted nothing to do with Brooklyn, no matter how much Brooklyn needed Queens. Or maybe that was just Spot.

Spot got up from the booth and made his way over to the food counter, where he asked for a water with a bit of sugar stirred into it. The waiter gave him an odd look but complied, stirring some sugar into a cup of water. Spot handed over a penny in exchange and made his way back over to the booth. He tapped the table for Crown's attention, and she shook herself out of her stupor. He handed her the glass, which she took gratefully. She took a sip, made a face, and took another. She didn't like the taste of sugar water.

Spot smiled at her, and tried to make two movements at once. One to sit opposite Crown, like he had been seconds ago, and another to sit next to her, like he had several months ago. Crown looked up at him oddly, but she must've realized what he was thinking because she positioned herself on the middle of her bench, leaving him with little choice but to sit across from her.

Crown was still holding the glass with both hands, taking sips gently. Soon enough color returned to her face, and her eyes became less glassy in small doses. Spot watched her carefully, ignoring the boys around him that were finishing up their food and heading back to their lodging houses. He waved off his own bird, effectively sending anyone from Brooklyn back to Brooklyn. At the same time Crown watched her cup between glances out at the diner. Dice had finished, but decided to stay at his seat a couple booths down from Spot and Crown reading an old paper. To anyone else, it might've looked completely natural, but Crown knew Dice was keeping an eye on her.

"Youse eaten yet?"

Crown shook her head and set her half-empty glass down, shaking her head slowly. "No. I can eat when I get back."

"Doll, Ise don't think youse should walk back without eating anything first."

"I already pay Melissa to make meals for us all. I'm not paying twice."

Spot made to get up from the table again, but Crown grabbed his arm. He looked at her hand on his arm in shock, and was even more shocked to find her face in an absolute panic.

"Don't buy me anything."

Spot was smart enough not to tell her the stingy waiter wouldn't hand over her water without getting a penny, so he just said, "It's not for you," and left for the counter again.

Spot watched as Crown shook her head at Dice, who he just realized was sitting a booth away. Well, it wasn't like he could get Dice to leave. The kid did whatever he was told, and if McCoy told him to watch Crown for the day, he wasn't budging. Especially if it meant leaving Crown alone. Especially with him.

Spot returned to the table and put the plate of fries between the two. Crown looked at them for a moment before very stubbornly drinking more of her sugar water. In her determination to make sure Spot knew she was unbothered; she drank a bit much and made a face. Suddenly those fries looked really good, if only to get rid of the taste in her mouth.

"They're not youses." Spot reminded her, and Crown's mouth nearly fell open in indignation. So that's how he was going to play.

"That's why they're closer to me than to you?" She knew what he was doing, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to work. With her permission, of course.

"Well, youse see, when youse have giant arms like Ise do, youse need a bit more of the table." Spot smirked at her.

"Oh, yes, well, 'youse see' when you wear a crown like I do, you actually have table priority."

They smiled at each other for a moment, before Spot gestured to the plate of fries and looked around so Crown could get a couple without feeling too guilty. She ate them gratefully, and pushed her glass away to the end of the table.

"Youse sure youse don't want to finish that?" Spot asked.

"No, I'm fine. And it's nasty." Crown sat back and stretched her arms like she had just woken up. She sighed deeply and chuckled lightly. "How did we get in this mess?"

Spot swallowed another mouthful of fries. "Youse not in the mess yet. Youse hasn't joined yet."

"No, not the strike. This." She gestured between them "Whatever this is."

Spot didn't answer for a moment, and Crown changed tack the next. "Thank you, for helping me."

"Of course, doll. Ise always will. Well, Ise always try."

Silence reigned again; Crown's brow furrowed in thought. "I spent all night trying to remember, but for some reason I can't. We left Central Park, and I woke up at the doctors."

Spot started talking before he really knew what he was doing. "What did McCoy tell youse?"

Crown shrugged. "Speculation, as far as I can tell. At the very least you had left me, at the most you'd hurt me."

"Ise did hurt you, doll."

"Will you tell me what happened? What actually happened?" Crown pleaded.

Spot nodded. He didn't necessarily want to, but if Crown really had no idea . . .

"Youse right sayin we left Central Park. Walkin you back to Queens. But the main road was blocked, some kind of soakin. So Ise took you the back way. Someone must've noticed cause theyse followed us. Didn't want nothin to do with me, didn't look valuable enough Ise guess. Ise couldn't take four on my own. But Ise know Skids is supposed ta be a couple blocks away, so Ise go to get him ta help. When wese get there, youse gone."

"McCoy found me when you were coming back with help." Crown sat in silence for a moment.

"Ise should have turned us around." Spot admitted. "Youse looked nice that night. Youse shouldn'ta been anywhere near there."

From that moment on, Queens wanted nothing to do with Brooklyn. Spot didn't blame them, but it wasn't like he was going down without a fight.

"Ise found one of em."

"You what?"

"One of em was missing an eye. Ise found him. And Ise soaked him."

Crown studied Spot, "I don't know what to say."

"Ise did what Ise could to fix him up for what he did to youse."

Spot had tried to redeem himself, Crown realized. He had decided not to let whoever they were get away with hurting her. She knew where he was going, but she didn't have an answer for him yet. "I should get back to the lodge house. I'm sure my kids have questions."

Spot nodded and made to stand up, but Crown stopped him. "I think I'll be able to find the door myself, thanks." She stood, and Spot heard Dice put down his paper to do the same.

Crown stopped at the end of the table. "Thanks again, Spot."

"Always doll."


End file.
